The present invention relates to a lamp and a method of making a lamp in which a light emitting diode (LED) is the light source. This application relates to copending application Ser. No. 10/647,682 titled LED LAMP WITH INSERTABLE LED SUBSTRATES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE LAMP filed on Aug. 25, 2003 and to copending application Ser. No. 10/647,831 titled LED LAMP WITH INSERTABLE AXIAL WIREWAYS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE LAMP filed on Aug. 25, 2003.
As is known, light output of an LED depends on its temperature. LED temperature should be kept low to ensure efficient light production. Accordingly, it is beneficial to provide an LED lamp that includes an LED with a heat sink for drawing heat away from the LED. The LED may be mounted on a post where the post is surrounded by a reflector. A circuit board provides the necessary electrical components and connections for operating the LED. The above-noted related applications and U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,138 disclose examples of such a lamp.
The arrangement of the reflector, heat sink, circuit board, and post in an LED lamp and the efficient assembly of these components have presented problems for designers of such lamps. One of the problems is how to provide an efficient assembly technique for connecting the LED on top of the post to a circuit board at a bottom of the post. In the assembled lamp, heat should be conducted away from the LED at the top of the post to the heat sink at the bottom of the post and electrical connections should be made from the circuit board at the bottom of the post to the LED at the top of the post. The arrangement of these components should facilitate automated manufacture of the lamp.